The relationship between peak velocity of saccadic eye movements and serum benzodiazepine concentration.
1 Six healthy male volunteers received single oral doses of 10 mg diazepam, 20 mg temazepam, 15 mg flurazepam, 5 mg nitrazepam, 10 mg desmethyl-diazepam and placebo in a double-blind randomized fashion. 2 Peak velocity of saccadic eye movements, serum benzodiazepine concentration, and subjective ratings of wakefulness and co-ordination were measured at intervals up to 12 h after drug administration. 3 All active treatments produced a statistically significant decrease in peak saccadic velocity. The effect of temazepam and diazepam was generally more pronounced than that of flurazepam, nitrazepam and desmethyl-diazepam. 4 There were log-linear correlations between peak saccadic velocity and serum benzodiazepine concentration after ingestion of temazepam, diazepam and nitrazepam. 5 These results demonstrate a clear relationship between serum benzodiazepine concentration and its effect on a convenient measure of brainstem reticular formation function.
D000328:Adult; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000187:drug effects*; D005479:Flurazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009567:Nitrazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D003708:Nordazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D012438:Saccades / Q000187:drug effects*; D013693:Temazepam / Q000494:pharmacology
D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003708:Nordazepam; D009567:Nitrazepam; D013693:Temazepam; D005479:Flurazepam; D003975:Diazepam